Secrets Between Us by Valerie Keogh - Blog Tour Review

Today I'm proud to be part of the blog tour celebrating the release of Secrets Between Us by Valerie Keogh.

Secrets Between Us

One letter a week for fifteen years. 780 identical white envelopes brimming with my sister’s darkest secrets. All the intimate details of a life as different to mine as could possibly be.

I read each letter slowly to make sure I understand it perfectly, one day very soon it will be a matter of life and death…

At the end of each letter, after signing her name, there is always one final sentence:

Don’t forget to burn this letter.

I’ll let you decide if I do…

A jaw-dropping psychological thriller that you will read in one sitting. If you loved dark, twisty thrillers like The Girl on The Train, The Couple Next Door and Friend Request, this unputdownable novel will have your heart racing long after you’ve finished reading.

My Review

When I first read the blurb for Secrets Between Us, I was instantly drawn to it as I love anything that has letters in, being a big snail mail fan myself. I also find they add intrigue and mystery to thrillers when done properly.

Secrets Between Us is definitely a slow burn, in the fact that it builds up in both pace and tension until a super fast paced ending. I really enjoyed this as it kept me engaged and I wanted to keep reading "just one more chapter". Honestly this book is one you just need to find a cosy spot, get a blanket and a brew and sit there until you're finished.

The characters were both fascinating and I was never really sure who to fully trust, or whether both Ellie and Tia were unreliable. The relationship between twins is always interesting and I think this story added a different dimension to that with the fact the sisters are living such different lives.

I really loved this book and I am already looking forward to Valerie Keogh's next masterpiece.

I gave this book 5 stars.

About The Author

Valerie Keogh grew up reading Agatha Christie so when she started writing it seemed natural to write crime novels. She writes two different series, one based in Ireland featuring Garda Sergeant Mike West and a grittier one based in the UK featuring Nicola Connolly, a serial killer.

The Garda West series: THAT ONE MAY SMILE, CLOSE RANKS, MURDER ON CLARE ISLAND and DEATH IN FOXROCK. 

The Hudson and Connolly series: DEADLY SLEEP, TWISTED POWER, BITTER BUSINESS, and WICKED SECRET.

Valerie has also written a stand-alone psychological thriller, Exit Five from Charing Cross

In March 2018, Valerie signed a two-book contract with the publisher, Bookouture. The first of these, Secrets Between Us, is out now.

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Artemis by Andy Weir - Blog Tour Review

Life Of A Nerdish Mum is very excited to be a part of the blog tour for the paperback and ebook release of Artemis by Andy Weir. 

Artemis

Jazz Bashara is a criminal.

Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent.

Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down. But pulling off the impossible is just the start of Jazz's problems, as she learns that she's stepped square into a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself - and that now, her only chance at survival lies in a gambit even more unlikely than the first.

My Review

Wow! Artemis certainly gets started with a bang and had me on the edge of the seat from pretty much page one. I loved that the action got started straight away and swept me up into the story effortlessly. 

Jazz is a fabulous character, just the kind of main character I enjoy reading. She's sarcastic, intelligent, hard working and a bit of a badass. Jazz very much made me think that Artemis is more YA-ish than The Martian, I think because I've read a lot of YA with a strong female protagonist recently, she fits perfectly in with them. However there was just as much science throughout Artemis as there was in The Martian, but don't worry if you don't have PhD in chemistry, you can read it or skim and you'll still be following the story. 

Andy Weir has done an excellent job at world building. I really think having an author with so much knowledge about the subject they are writing about shows through in the world. I have wanted to read a moon based story for a long time and this really hit the spot for me. I could picture it all perfectly and the science and explanations for how things worked just made it very realistic. 

The pacing was excellent throughout and kept me wanting to read just a bit more. The ending let me down a little bit as it felt a bit rushed, but it was still thoroughly enjoyable and I felt it fit with the rest of the book. 

Overall a really engaging and enjoyable read and one I have recommended to others already. 

I gave this book 4 stars. 

About The Author

ANDY WEIR built a career as a software engineer until the success of his first published novel, THE MARTIAN, allowed him to live out his dream of writing fulltime. He is a lifelong space nerd and a devoted hobbyist of subjects such as relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight. He also mixes a mean cocktail. He lives in California. Andy’s next book, ARTEMIS, is available now.

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Catching Love When It Falls by Deryn Pittar - Blog Tour Guest Post

Today I am part of the blog tour for Catching Love When It Falls by Deryn Pittar, a romance with a difference. I have a guest post to share in which Deryn Pittar talks more about the creation of Belinda and the world the story is set in. 

Catching Love When It Falls

William and Belinda, both genetically altered, meet years after leaving the government-rearing nursery. Their late development allowed them to escape a life devoted to the government's defence departments. If their skills are now discovered they will be conscripted and never be free again. 

William’s talent is to move through space between locations in the blink of an eye. Belinda can lift objects of great weight with her mind. Their relationship creates a raft of problems both struggle to overcome. 

‘Catching Love When it Falls’ explores an alternative reality and discovers the one thing neither Belinda nor William can control - love. 

More About Main Character Belinda by Deryn Pittar

The character of Belinda grew very rapidly in my mind, far quicker than William had. I could see her: petite, blond curls, stubborn and fiercely loyal and protective of her adopted mother.

Again the prologue shows Belinda at the Nursery, off in a corner of the playground, quietly mastering her talent of being able to lift and catch things with her mind. She’s nearly seven and is determined to be released for adoption. In the novel she has a career as a landscape gardener, a love of plants and her talent means she is able to lift heavy materials with ease, but she does this very discreetly. She also has a protective barrier she erects which rebuffs anyone approaching her with serious intent. Uninterested ‘normals’ can walk right through it, but Defense Department agents or other g-alters cannot get close. William comes across this on their first meeting and is determined to overcome it.

She is a reluctant participant in this romance. She has no wish to be wooed. She likes her life and wants to continue to live with and protect her mother since her father’s death.

I set this story in Melbourne, in the suburbs I am familiar with. Belinda’s home is mirrored from my memories of my aunt’s garden and the suburb she lived in. Her travels with William are set in places I have visited.

A couple of quirky characters enter Belinda’s life once she meets William.  Her mother likes him a lot, which helps William’s cause when he upsets Belinda by jumping with her. Never mind he had a very good reason for doing so.  ‘Not amused’ would be an understatement. Their romance could bring them to the attention of the Defense Department and Belinda is determined this won’t happen.

About The Author

I write futuristic and fantasy fiction, spiced with romance and adventure. This allows my imagination to run free, to create interesting characters caught in unusual circumstances and events. Sometimes I have the pleasure of watching science and technology catch up with my imagination.

I also write Young Adult, short stories and flash fiction; articles on writing and I am published in these genre. I self-published a children’s rhyming book and once won a prize for a short screen script.

I’m a published poet and I endeavour to put my poetry skills into my fiction writing to enhance the word pictures I create.

I live in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand which lives up to its name. I belong to the Romance Writers of N.Z., Tauranga Writers, and Spec.Fic.NZ (speculative fictionNZ).

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The Movers Series Release Dates

Love's Bright Star - 19th June

Love's Red Heart - 26th June

A Stellar Affair - 3rd July

Romancing the Memory Collector - 10th July

5 book box set - 7th August

Stripey Enid by Natasha Lea - Blog Tour Review

Today is Life Of A Nerdish Mum's stop on the blog tour for Stripey Enid by Natasha Lea. This unique children's book will be published on the 16th of June.

Stripey Enid

‘Believe in yourself, for you are unique!’

In this ever-changing world our children are bombarded with ‘image’ driven ideals of what is accepted as normal, or what we should aspire to be.

The reality is we are all unique and should be proud of it.

Stripey Enid has no colour or creed, she is just a friend. Using simple verse and interactive tasks, she aims to help your child understand that it is good to be unique, and that being yourself is all you need to be.

My Review

I thoroughly enjoyed Stripey Enid. The first time I read through this with my nearly five year old mini Nerdling, we concentrated on just reading through the story and finding what the book was about. We both really enjoyed the rhyming words (mini Nerdling has been learning about these in school, so it was perfectly timed) and how easily they all flowed.

The story alone encouraged discussion as I like both fish and chips and sausage and gravy, whereas mini Nerdling thinks they are both "gross"! We talked abut how it was fine to like different things to other people and how it's good that we are all different. The language used, is also not "dumbed down" to talk to children and so there were some words, such as unique, that mini Nerdling could ask the meaning of which is a great way for children to learn.

The interactivity in the book was both interesting and fun and it was suitable for a wide range of age ranges. My favourite section was thinking about "My Good Points". This really made both me and mini Nerdling think and concentrate on what are the good things about us. I loved listening to his logic and thinking and he came up with so many we needed more paper to add more. I think one of his best was that "one of my good points is that my eyes are blue and that's good because it is my favourite colour".

Stripey Enid is really well illustrated and I thought the colours (or lack thereof) were well used. This may be a small book, but I think it makes a big impact. I also feel that any parents reading this with their children will benefit from it too, not just by enjoying watching their child get involved and think about how they form friendships and how they think about themselves, but by making them think more about them specifically, especially what are their good points!

Overall an excellent book and one I will enjoy reading over with mini Nerdling, I've also borrowed a quote from inside as a personal inspiration in my bullet journal.

I gave this book 5 stars

About The Author

It was over 10 years ago, during a marketing exercise to promote a new theatre company whilst studying Performing Arts, that the idea of Stripey Enid came to Natasha. 

Even back then, Stripey was seen to be different, something to challenge the norm, ask questions of people.

The idea of writing a book was never the intention but a natural progression on from the poems Natasha used to create for friends and family for birthdays & special occasions. 

At the time Natasha was also working with a local Brownie pack and it was this interaction that made her realise that she was an adult in these children’s lives that wasn’t a parent or a teacher but a friend, a unique friendship that benefited both parties.

Stripey came into being by the pure belief that Natasha had about peer pressure & social demands creating barriers between people, stopping people from seeing others as they truly are.

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Too Close To Breathe by Olivia Kiernan - Blog Tour Review

Today Life Of A Nerdish Mum is honoured to be a part of the blog tour for the debut novel by Olivia Kiernan, Too Close To Breathe. 

Too Close To Breathe

TOO SOON TO SEE

Polished. Professional. Perfect. Dead. Respected scientist Dr Eleanor Costello is found hanging in her immaculate home: the scene the very picture of a suicide.

TOO LATE TO HIDE

DCS Frankie Sheehan is handed the case, and almost immediately spots foul play. Sheehan, a trained profiler, is seeking a murderer with a talent for death.

TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE

As Frankie strives to paint a picture of the killer, and their victim, she starts to sense they are part of a larger, darker canvas, on which the lines between the two blur.

My Review

You would never know that Too Close To Breathe is a debut novel, the writing and story telling is absolutely top and thoroughly enjoyable. The author does take a risk in how they develop the main character, DCS Frankie Sheehan, as when I first started reading I had to double check I hadn't missed a previous book or prequel explaining what had actually happened to her before this case and what she is recovering from. However once I was happy that I hadn't missed anything, it worked really well how the story of what happened is eked out alongside the main story. 

Too Close To breathe is quite dark and gritty and covers some of the seedier sides of crime including the Dark Web. It's also quite graphic in it's descriptions, particularly of the autopsies, which I haven't seen for a while but it was a nice touch, though may be too much for someone with a weaker stomach! The story is fast paced and it kept me guessing right until the end which I really liked (though was secretly frustrated because I loved "solving" the crimes myself first!)

Overall an incredibly strong debut and I am looking forward to continuing with the series when the next book comes out and learning more about DCS Sheehan. I would also like to see more of Dublin playing a part in the future stories too as it's such a distinctive place.

I gave this book 4 stars. 

About The Author

Olivia Kiernan is the author of TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE, a crime thriller where DCS Frankie Sheehan investigates the murder of Dr Eleanor Costello. At first glance the murder appears uncomplicated but soon spills out onto a dark canvas of fear, lies and murder.

Olivia Kiernan grew up in the Irish countryside, a background which left her with a great appreciation of storytelling. Being almost sensible she shelved aspirations of becoming a writer and embarked on a career in science, spending six years in university studying anatomy and physiology before receiving a BSc in Chiropractic in 2003. She worked in this vein for over a decade, always writing in the evenings after work and completing an MA in Creative Writing through part-time study in 2012.
In 2015, she began writing TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE as part of National Novel Writing Month, polishing off half the first draft by the end of the month-long writing marathon. After hiding the manuscript on her hard drive for close to a year, revisiting it from time to time to add a scene or remove one, she sent it out to agents. Within a month she had signed with a literary agent and in 2017 a dream was realised when TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE sold.

TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE will be released on 5th April 2018 in the UK, and the 3rd of April in the US.

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The Mirror Of Pharos by J.S. Landor - Blog Tour Review

Life Of A Nerdish Mum is the stop today on the blog tour for The Mirror Of Pharos by J.S. Landor and I am excited to be sharing my review of this wonderful book.

The Mirror Of Pharos

Jack Tideswell’s parents died in a tragic diving accident while exploring the underwater ruins of the ancient Pharos lighthouse in Egypt. So Jack wants nothing to do with adventure. Until that is, a seagull delivers a strange disc, addressed to him in his own handwriting.

In the blink of an eye, all kinds of magic are let loose, sending Jack on a dangerous journey. Can he learn to navigate time before it’s too late to save the one person who can help him unravel the secrets of the disc?

Whether he likes it or not, there’s no more hiding away. And no looking back. Especially when Alpha is watching. A wolf who sees all there is to see … 

For readers aged 10 plus, The Mirror of Pharos is a contemporary fantasy with a hint of sci-fi.

My Review

Though I'm way out of the age range of a middle grade books target audience, I always think if a book is good enough, it shouldn't matter how old you are when you are reading it. The Mirror Of Pharos is one of those good books and I thoroughly enjoyed myself throughout its entirety.

Jack, the main character, is a wonderful and easily likeable character. He's gone through a lot in his short life but he is dealing with it the way he think is for the best. The Mirror Of Pharos covers big topics like grief (Jack has lost both his parents) and bullying and none of it is dumbed down or babied for a younger reader, which I thought was really well done.

I absolutely loved the two most important people in Jack's life, his Nan and Charlie his best friend. Nan was beautifully written and was easily imaginable, she was what you'd want in a Nan and had a touch of magic about her, but aren't all grandparents magical. Charlie was strong and was Jack's anchor through a lot of things and she felt really important to me.

The story is fast paced and the adventure is fun and well thought out. I raced through the book as I couldn't put it down! I have immediately passed this on to my step daughter and she's already thoroughly enjoying it. I really recommend The Mirror Of Pharos to any age, as it's fun and clever and really feeds the imagination.

I gave this book 5 stars.

About The Author

I grew up in Luton, an industrial town famous for making hats. Dad was an engineer, Mum was Mum, and my little brother, Steve, was a big pest – and my best friend. Life was fairly ordinary. Until, one day, adventure called. We packed up our belongings in a crate and sailed on an ocean liner to Canada.

The crossing took a whole week, an epic voyage for a five-year-old. That amount of rolling sea is not easily forgotten! Nor the seagulls. Nor the slot machine that unexpectedly unloaded such a heap of coins I mistakenly thought I was rich. No surprise that years later the ship (or a fictional version of her) sailed right into one of my stories: The Mirror of Pharos.

As an eight-year old returning to primary school in Luton I was the odd one out. When my funny accent caused some teasing I felt sad and missed my old home in Toronto. But some great new friends soon came to the rescue. And by then I was a bookworm so half my buddies were characters in stories anyway!

After school I studied literature at university and edited a magazine called Magus (look out for that word in the story). Later I became a journalist, a farmer and eventually a publishing editor. But all the while another adventure was beckoning. Someone had whispered a secret to me on a school field trip when I was just seven. Looking back it shaped my destiny. It’s the reason I became a storyteller.

Author Links

Website - https://www.jslandor.com/ - The website is absolutely wonderful and you can meet the characters, read bits of The Mirror Of Pharos and view some gorgeous art work. 

Twitter : @js_landor 

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The Journal Of Curious Letters (The 13th Reality #1) by James Dashner - Blog Tour Review

For people who have followed Life Of A Nerdish Mum for a couple of years now, will know that I went through a huge Maze Runner phase and I read every thing I could find in the series (though I'm now slacking as I still haven't read the Fever Code!) So when I got the opportunity to review the first book in James Dashner's middle grade series, The 13th Reality - The Journal Of Curious Letters, I absolutely jumped at the chance. As well as my review today, I have an exciting tag for people to complete and share, so definitely make sure you check that out! 

The Journal Of Curious Letters (13th Reality #1) 

What if every time you made a choice that had a significant consequence, a new, alternate reality was created — the life that would’ve been had you made the other choice? What if those new realities were in danger? What if it fell to you to save all the realities?

Atticus Higginbottom, a.k.a. Tick, is an average thirteen-year-old boy until the day a strange letter arrives in his mailbox. Postmarked from Alaska and cryptically signed with the initials “M.G.,” the letter informs Tick that dangerous — perhaps even deadly — events have been set in motion that could result in the destruction of reality itself. M.G. promises to send Tick twelve riddles that will reveal on a certain day, at a certain time, at a certain place, something extraordinary will happen. Will Tick have the courage to follow the twelve clues M.G. sends to him? Will he be able to solve the riddles in time? Will Tick discover the life he was meant to live?

My Review

The Journal Of Curious Letters was so much fun! I really enjoyed the riddles and the fast paced adventure through the book. 

Tick was a really great character and he felt very realistic to me. He wasn't the usual perfect protagonist and he had his own faults, so it all just made him more loveable and easy to get behind. It was also so very nice to see a happy family and a character having a good relationship with their dad. It's so incredibly rare to see this is any kind of book. 

The riddles themselves were interesting and they weren't dumbed down for a younger audience, so me as a person (ever so slightly haha) over the target age enjoyed trying to work out the clues alongside Tick. 

Overall this was a really good book, with plenty of action and it certainly kept me invested and on the edge of my seat. You can tell this is the first book in the series as it feels very much like a set up for future action, but this didn't detract from how much I enjoyed the story and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. 

I gave this book 4 stars. 

Thank you very much to Sweet Cherry Publishing and James Dashner for the opportunity to review The Journal Of Curious Letters. 

The Tag!

And here are the prompts for the tag! I'll be tagging a couple of people on twitter, but if you want to do the tag yourself, then consider yourself tagged! My own answers to the tag will be up on a blog post very soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that in the near future. If you do complete the tag, make sure you use the #The13thReality so people can check out your answers. 

About The Author

James Dashner was born and raised in Georgia but now lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series: The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure, and The Kill Order. His newest series is The Mortality Doctrine: The Eye of Minds, The Rule of Thoughts, and The Game of Lives.

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Hydra by Matt Wesolowski - Blog Tour Review

I don't think I can put into words, just how excited I am to be part of the blog tour for Matt Wesolowski's newest novel, Hydra. I absolutely loved Six Stories, so jumped immediatey at the chance of reading more of his work! 

Hydra

One cold November night in 2014, in a small town in the north west of England, 26-year-old Arla Macleod bludgeoned her mother, father and younger sister to death with a hammer, in an unprovoked attack known as the "Macleod Massacre." Now incarcerated at a medium-security mental-health institution, Arla will speak to no one but Scott King, an investigative journalist, whose Six Stories podcasts have become an internet sensation.

King finds himself immersed in an increasingly complex case, interviewing five witnesses and Arla herself, as he questions whether Arla’s responsibility for the massacre was a diminished as her legal team made out. As he unpicks the stories, he finds himself thrust into a world of deadly forbidden "games," online trolls, and the mysterious Black-eyed Children, whose presence extends far beyond the delusions of a murderess. 

My Review

Matt Wesolowski is officially a genius. The way he crafts and weaves his stories is just, well....genius! I didn't think you could get a better book than Six Stories and then out came Hydra and proved me very wrong. 

Telling the story through podcasts is such a modern and unique way of storytelling and it really lays everything out so nicely for the reader. The writing is so exquisite that you feel like you are actually "listening" to a podcast instead of reading it. Scott King is an extremely interesting character in himself and I enjoy the way he goes about investigating cold cases, not necessarily to solve them, but to try and shed more light on them. Its definitively something I would listen to in real life or watch a documentary on. 

I won't touch on the plot as to do so would be to take away any new readers discovery of the twists and turns throughout. I will say however that you can really feel Wesolowski's origins in horror as Hydra is extremely creepy and gave me chills throughout the book. The story is fresh and full of surprises and I really enjoyed trying to discover the why of the horrendous crime that had occurred. 

Without gushing too much more, all I can say is go out and buy Six Stories and Hydra and read them immediately, you will not regret it! 

I gave this book ALL THE STARS! 

About The Author

Matt Wesolowski is an author from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the UK. He is an English tutor for young people in care. Matt started his writing career in horror, and his short horror fiction has been published in numerous UK - and US - based anthologies such as Midnight Movie Creature Feature, Selfies From The End Of The World, Cold Iron and many more. His novella, The Black Land, a horror set on the Northumberland coast, was published in 2013. Matt was a winner of the Pitch Perfect competition at Bloody Scotland Crime writing Festival in 2015. His debut thriller, Six Stories, was an Amazon bestseller in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia, and a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick, and film rights were sold to a major Hollywood studio. 

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Deep Blue Trouble by Steph Broadribb - Blog Tour Review

I'm so excited to be on the blog tour for Steph Broadribb's newest book, Deep Blue Trouble, I've been waiting for this sequel ever since the minute I finished Deep Down Dead! 

Deep Blue Trouble

Single-mother Florida bounty hunter Lori Anderson’s got an ocean of trouble on her hands. Her daughter Dakota is safe, but her cancer is threatening a comeback, and Lori needs JT—Dakota’s daddy and the man who taught Lori everything—alive and kicking. Problem is, he’s behind bars, and heading for death row. Desperate to save him, Lori does a deal, taking on off-the-books job from shady FBI agent Alex Monroe. Bring back on-the-run felon, Gibson "The Fish" Fletcher, and JT walks free. Following Fletcher from Florida to California, Lori teams up with local bounty hunter Dez McGregor and his team. But Dez works very differently to Lori, and the tension between them threatens to put the whole job in danger. With Monroe pressuring Lori for results, the clock ticking on JT’s life, and nothing about the Fletcher case adding up, Lori’s hitting walls at every turn. But this is one job she’s got to get right, or she’ll lose everything.

My Review

LORI IS BACK! I was so excited to get my hands on Deep Blue Trouble after enjoying Deep Down Dead so much. I would 100% recommend reading Deep Down Dead before reading Deep Blue Trouble, not only because it's awesome and you don't want to miss out on it, you'll be on the back foot with the story that is continuing from the first book. 

I absolutely love Lori, she's a badass, she's a great mum, she's strong and brave and intelligent (well she sometimes makes silly decisions, but don't we all!) She also have a softer side, in particular over her daughter. Her character is incredibly well rounded and you I think of her as a real person. I'm really invested in what happens to both her and her daughter and I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book just waiting to see what happened to her next. 

Deep Blue Trouble is extremely fast paced and I have to admit that I read it in one sitting, because I just didn't want to put my book down and not know what was happening in the world of Lori. I really enjoyed the story, though I was sad that Lori and JT were separated at the beginning as I really love their chemistry and their relationship. 

I really enjoyed the flashbacks used in Deep Blue Trouble, they were used wisely and really added depth and understanding to Lori and JT. I really think they added to the overall story. 

Deep Blue Trouble is just as amazing as Steph Broadribb's first book and I absolutely loved it. You really need to go out and get engrossed in this series. 

I gave this book 5 stars!

About The Author

Steph Broadribb was born in Birmingham and grew up in Buckinghamshire. Most of her working life has been spent between the UK and USA. As her alter ego - Crime Thriller Girl - she indulges her love of all things crime fiction by blogging at www.crimethrillergirl.com where she interviews authors and reviews the latest releases.

Steph is an alumni of the MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at City University London, and she trained as a bounty hunter in California. She lives in Buckinghamshire surrounded by horses, cows and chickens. Her debut thriller Deep Down Dead, was shortlisted for the Dead Good Reader Awards in two categories, and hit number one on the UK and AU kindle charts. 

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Fruit Woman by Kate Rigby - Blog Tour Review

Today I'm extremely happy to be part of the blog tour for the fabulous book Fruit Woman by Kate Rigby.

Fruit Woman

Fruit Woman is narrated by Helen Scutt, a quirky and naïve twenty-seven-year-old. The image of the Fruit Woman has appeared to Helen at important times in her life, particularly in relation to her own sexual and spiritual awakening. But only now, while on holiday with her extended family, does she get her first warning message from the Fruit Woman.

Set in the l980s, Helen returns with her extended family, after a twelve year break, to spend a fortnight at their favourite holiday destination in Devon: Myrtle Cottages. Due to join them for the second week of the holiday are: Helen's old friend, Bella, Bella's brother, Dominic, and Helen's cousin, Les.

But shortly after the family have arrived on holiday, Helen's mother announces that she has also invited along someone from church for the second week of their holiday: Christine Wigg, a friend of the family, and victim of a rape several years before.

In the context of the family holiday, where games of cards, scatological worries, and deep discussions abound, the story centres on Helen's anxieties over the second week's 'guest list'. She's not seen Bella for years, she’s attracted to Dominic in spite of his religious beliefs, and she thinks it a bad idea for her mother to have invited Les, who was originally accused of Christine's rape by her in-laws. Helen's concerns trigger off all sorts of childhood and adolescent memories, but as her anxieties mount, can she make sense at last of what happened years before? 

My Review

Fruit Woman is a very interesting coming of age story done extremely well and written beautifully. 

I really enjoyed the quirkiness and the time of Fruit Woman, the 80's are a favourite time of mine so it was nice to be immersed with some of the references from the time. 

Considering the book is relatively short (under 200 pages) I thought the characters were extremely well rounded and full of complexities, especially the main character Helen. I also really enjoyed the Grandma, she came across exactly how you'd imagine a grandma (or great grandma would act and talk. I could really picture her. 

Some of the topics covered in Fruit Woman are actually quite dark and deep and I thought they were dealt with in an intelligent and sympathetic manner. It was interesting to see how certain issues and occurrences had shaped Helen and affected how her life was turning out. 

There was religion throughout the book, I've mentioned before I'm not particularly religious, but I found it fascinating how much it can affect someones feeling towards someone if they are from a different religion. It's also quite relevant with today's atmosphere.

The ending came at me from out of nowhere and I felt so many different emotions! For such a short story, it certainly packed a punch. I won't discuss what happens as I would have to take away the enjoyment of someone reading this for the first time, but certainly expect drama. 

Overall a really enjoyable read and one I will be recommending to people. 

I gave this book 4 stars. 

About The Author

"I am a hybrid writer, which means I have been published in a variety of different ways; traditionally, by small press and now independently, or self-published.
I've been writing novels for over thirty years.  Some of my book are available in paperback and all are available as e-books.
Social networking sites and writing sites have opened up a whole new world to me and introduced me to some great new writers and books I wouldn't otherwise have discovered.
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Scorched Shadows by Steve McHugh - Blog Tour Review

Life Of A Nerdish Mum today is taking part in the blog tour for Scorched Shadows, by Steve McHugh. Scorched Shadows is the seventh and final chapter in The Hellequin Chronicles, so be wary of reading the synopsis if you're not up to book seven yet. My review however has no spoilers so read away!

Scorched Shadows

In the final chapter of the Hellequin Chronicles, secrets will be revealed, friendships will be tested, and destinies will be fulfilled.

Avalon is under siege. A shadowy cabal, headed by a mysterious figure known only as “My Liege”, has launched a series of deadly attacks across the globe, catching innocent human bystanders in the crossfire.

Emerging from the debris of battle, Nate Garrett, the sixteen-hundred-year-old sorcerer also called Hellequin, and his friends must stop My Liege once and for all. But powerful forces stand in their way. To save Avalon, they will need to enlist the help of Mordred, once Nate’s greatest nemesis, now his most formidable ally. But Mordred is grappling with a dark prophecy that could spell Nate’s doom…

The fate of the world hangs in the balance. Even if Nate can halt the war, will there be anything left worth saving?

My Review

Being the last book in a series, Scorched Shadows was pretty fast paced right from page one, which I really enjoyed. It gets you right into the thick of it and I was instantly wrapped up in the story and found myself fully engrossed.

A minor disclaimer before I continue, I haven't read the previous books in the series and I hadn't originally realised that it was supposed to be the last book (my bad for not checking) but I decided to read it anyway because I loved the synopsis and between that, the title and the cover it had sucked me in!

I found the characters extremely strong and even though I didn't know their full back story, there was enough to fill me in and I still became attached to certain people and I really cared what was going to happen to Nate and the whole of Avalon.

I very much liked the combination of mythological creatures mixed with current day world. I enjoy things being seemingly out of place as it gives them a greater focus. That and I love mythological creatures!

I feel the ending will be extremely polarising with people loving it or hating it, with very little in-between. I really enjoyed it and thought it was a pretty ingenuitive way to end the Hellequin Chronicles.

I thoroughly enjoyed Scorched Shadows and I am now looking forward to returning to the beginning of the series and reading it as a whole, so this is a definite recommendation from me.

I gave this book 4 stars.

About The Author

Steve's been writing from an early age, his first completed story was done in an English lesson. Unfortunately, after the teacher read it, he had to have a chat with the head of the year about the violent content and bad language. The follow up 'One boy and his frog' was less concerning to his teachers and got him an A.

It wasn't for another decade that he would start work on a full length novel, the result of which; Crimes Against Magic is now available from Amazon.

He was born in a small village called Mexborough, South Yorkshire, but now lives with his wife and three young daughters in Southampton.

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Front Page Murder by Peter Bartram - Blog Tour Review

I'm very honoured today to be kicking off the blog tour for the latest novel in the Crampton of the Chronicle series. Front Page Murder, by Peter Bartram. I also have an exciting extract, so stick around after my review to check that out!

Front Page Murder - A Crampton of the Chronicle mystery

It's December 1963 and Archie Flowerdew is sitting in a cell at Wandsworth Prison waiting to be hanged. On Christmas Eve. It's not exactly how he planned to spend the festive season. But, then, Archie was found guilty of murdering fellow comic postcard artist Percy Despart.

It seems there's nothing that can stop Archie's neck being wrung like a turkey's. Except that his niece Tammy is convinced Archie is innocent. She's determined he will sit down on Christmas Day to tuck into the plum pudding. She persuades Brighton Evening Chronicle crime reporter Colin Crampton to take up the case.

But Colin has problems of his own. First, that good turn he did to help out Chronicle sub-editor Barry Hobhouse has come back to bite him on the bum. Then Beatrice "the Widow" Gribble, Colin's trouble-prone landlady, needs him to sort out her latest faux pas - she's accidentally sent a Christmas card to her local butcher suggesting she's available for hot sex. And that's before Brighton cops clap Colin and girlfriend Shirley Goldsmith in jail on the charge of harbouring a fugitive from justice.

And, anyway, the more Colin investigates Archie's case, the more it looks like he is guilty… Pick up the third full-length novel in the Crampton of the Chronicle mystery series to get you in the mood for a murderous Christmas!

My Review

Front Page Murder is another book by Peter Bartram that's kept me up at night just wanting to read the next page and see what happens next! 

Colin Crampton is a fantastic character, I love his sarcasm and sass and I love that he's always getting himself into scrapes just for the sake of a byline. Though he has a jack the lad attitude, he's a softy on the inside and that's the reason he gets in to trouble half of the time. 

The story of Front Page Murder follows the story of Archie Flowerdew in the days before his hanging and his niece who is trying to prove his innocence of the murder of fellow local post card artist Percy Despart. Colin has to think outside the box as to how to prove his innocence as all of Archie's clemency hearings have failed. As usual he does things that are borderline illegal (only just) but anything to provide justice.....and a good story! 

One of my favourite things about Front Page Murder was the description of all the different scathing post cards that Percy Despart had drawn before his untimely death. They were hilariously described and I could really picture all of them. I just wish there has been sketches of them scattered throughout the book. 

Being a crime novel, I can't discuss the story without spoilers, but I can say that it is incredibly well written and plotted out. 

Overall an excellent read and I'm already looking forward to the next in the series. 

I gave this book 5 stars. 

An Extract From Front Page Murder

By Peter Bartram

Colin Crampton crime correspondent on the Brighton Evening Chronicle is investigating a case of murder. Colin has discovered that the victim had a book which included a photograph of a painting called the Avenging Angel. The painting hangs in St Rita's church. But the vicar, Canon Gideon Burke, has a reputation as a randy old goat. Colin visits St Rita's for morning service and afterwards decides to investigate further. He takes up the story…

I made my way to the back of the church and hung around for a bit. I wanted to have a nose about. I fancied a quick look-see at the painting of the Avenging Angel by a pupil of Raphael. During Burke's sermon I'd been looking around. Each of the church's transepts held a small chapel. Most of the artworks seemed to be hung in these chapels. The chapel off the right-hand side of the nave looked the most ornate. I guessed that's where the Avenging Angel would be slinging her thunderbolts.

  I threaded my way through the pews and entered the chapel. I was right. The Angel hung on the end wall above a small altar. After viewing the colour plate in The Art of Sussex Churches, I'd been expecting a large canvas. But this was strangely unimpressive. An ornate, portrait-shaped frame about twenty inches high by fifteen across held a picture that lacked the vibrant colours I'd seen in the book. Old paintings, I knew, gathered dirt over the years and were cleaned by specialists. The Avenging Angel looked as though she were long overdue a spruce up.

  I was mulling this over when a voice behind me said: "Just because she's small, don't underestimate her power."

  I turned. Burke was standing there in his canonical gear. He had the kind of grin gangsters use when they're collecting protection money but want to keep it friendly.

  I said: "Size isn't everything - for women or men."

  Burke took that in his stride. "I haven't seen you at divine service before."

  "It's my first time. I just felt it might help me think out a worry on my mind."

  I'd had an idea which might help me discover whether the rumours about Burke and the virgins were true.

  "Would you like to talk about it, my son?"

  "It's difficult. Very personal. And a bit embarrassing."

  "Embarrassment is only your conscience talking to you. Listen to it."

  "The thing is it involves a girl."

  "Really?" Burke flicked a lizard-like tongue over his lips. He moved closer.

  "Yes, it's my girlfriend Shirley."

  "Does it involve your feelings for Shirley?"

  "In a way, but it's more her feelings for me."

  "You are both wondering whether you should consummate your love, perhaps? I have to tell you I do not believe in sex before marriage."

  I grinned. "Especially if it delays the ceremony, vicar."

  "This is not a matter for misplaced levity."

  "I'm sorry. To come to the point, Shirley wants me to make love to her - and I'm not sure it's right for me to do what she wants."

  A fleck of spittle had appeared at the side of Burke's mouth. "And what does she want?"

  "She wants me to dress as a vicar while I'm giving her the benefit. Well, actually, not the full gear. She wants me to skip the robes and all that and just wear the main item."

  "The main item? I don't understand."

  "The dog collar."

  Burke's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. "Let me get this right. Your girlfriend wants you to make love to her wearing only a dog collar."

  "That's about the size of it. Of what she wants. Not the size of the dog collar. I expect they come in different sizes. Do they?"

  Burke's jowly cheeks had become red. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow. "Yes, they do come. I mean in different sizes. But that is not the point."

  "What is the point, vicar? That's what I want to know."

  Burke took a guilty glance at the Avenging Angel.

  "I think you should bring your girlfriend Shirley to see me. It's clear the girl needs divine guidance."

  "You really think that's the answer?"

  Burke harrumphed. For the first time, he looked embarrassed. Perhaps his conscience was talking to him. Or, more likely, he'd just told it to shut up.

  "I could manage a short interview with her at about half past seven this evening," he said. "After the evening service."

  "That would be very helpful, vicar."

  "I shall call upon the spirit of St Rita to guide me."

  "I'll let Shirley know. I think she knew a Rita as well. I believe she was a hostess in a nightclub. More of a sinner than a saint."

  I turned to leave. Looked back over my shoulder. Burke had taken a handkerchief from somewhere in his vestments and was wiping sweat from his brow.

About The Author

I was lucky enough to interview Peter Bartram when I reviewed his previous full length novel, Stop Press Murder, which you can check out here. 

Peter Bartram brings years of experience as a journalist to his Crampton of the Chronicle crime mystery series, which features Colin Crampton, crime correspondent of the 1960s fictional newspaper the Brighton Evening Chronicle. Peter began his career as a reporter on a real-life local newspaper not far from Brighton. Then he worked as a journalist and newspaper editor in London before becoming freelance. He has done most things in journalism from door-stepping for quotes to writing serious editorials. He’s pursued stories in locations as diverse as 700 feet down a coal mine and Buckingham Palace. Peter's "Swinging Sixties" murder mysteries combine clue-solving with comedy - the laughs are never far from the action. Other books in the series, which has already logged more than 100 5-star reviews on Amazon, include Headline Murder and Stop Press Murder.

Front Page Murder e-book is on special offer until the end of December for 99p/99c

For readers who want to start the series at the beginning, there's a deal which includes Headline Murder, Stop Press Murder and Front Page Murder in e-book formats for £4.97/$4.97. This offer also closes on 31 December.

Front Page Murder on Amazon.com

Front Page Murder on Amazon.co.uk

Crampton of the Chronicle 3-book series on Amazon.com

Crampton of the Chronicle 3-book series on Amazon.co.uk

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